


Surprise Party

by glim



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Birthday Fluff, Established Relationship, M/M, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-11
Updated: 2015-10-11
Packaged: 2018-04-25 22:45:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 755
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4979503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/glim/pseuds/glim
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>It’s your birthday and you didn’t tell anyone?</em>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Surprise Party

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the prompt "It's your birthday?" for a Tumblr anon request.

Arthur braces himself against the wind and rain as he walks down the castle steps into the courtyard. The storm that’s whipping through Camelot has cleared away the market-day crowds, and for once Arthur’s glad he’s chosen the more direct path to the physician’s chambers instead of the warmer, drier servants’ staircases and passageways. He’s been through that way already once this week and he’s used up all his ready excuses.

Not that he has any good reason to be going to Gaius at this time of day in the middle of the rain. Especially with Gaius attending the council meeting with the king and with Arthur having just been dismissed from that same meeting.

His apprehensions dissipate when he rounds the corner to the staircase that leads to the physician’s doorway and finds it empty. Even the dim staircase is warmer than the outdoors, and when he pushes the door open quietly, he finds the interior room aglow with firelight.

Merlin’s sitting at the table in the center of the room, all evidence of the day’s work cleared away. There are dishes and bowls on the table, a half-burned candle lit between them, and Merlin smiling up at Arthur as he walks in.

“What’s this?” Arthur taps a finger against one of the bowls.

“Dinner. Well, it will be, in a minute or so. I made soup.”

“And by made you mean–”

“–I heated it up. Gaius made it, so it’s quite nice. Vegetables, and beef broth.”

Merlin looks hopeful, even a bit pleading, so Arthur sits down at the table and nods his head. “It does sound nice.”

“There’s bread, too. And some of the wine, leftover from the dinner in the great hall last month.” The firelight makes Merlin’s eyes glow, too, gold flecking the bright blue, and his smile is so warm that Arthur cannot help but pull him into a kiss. “And that. That’s nice.”

“And this.” Arthur kisses Merlin again, and nuzzles his face in Merlin’s shoulder to hug Merlin close and bury himself in Merlin’s warmth. 

When Merlin pulls away to fetch the soup, Arthur sits down to tug off his boots and then pads after Merlin to cut bread. They work quietly for a few moments, the storm and cold outside forgotten, along with the other duties Arthur has put aside for this secret meeting.

“I thought maybe you wouldn’t be able to get away, but I’m really glad you did, because I had wanted to do something with you on my birthday and–”

“It’s your birthday? It’s your birthday and you didn’t tell anyone?” Arthur leans away from Merlin to stare at him, as if that would him make sense of what Merlin just said.

“I told Gaius!” Merlin says, suddenly looking distraught. “It’s nothing.”

“Well, of course it’s something. It’s your birthday,” Arthur says again, and this time he leans in close. “And you didn’t tell me. You really are an idiot,” he mutters, but fondly, and takes Merlin’s hand into his own. “Switch the dishes around so we’re sitting next to each other. I’ll be right back.”

Merlin looks a bit more distraught, and he doesn’t move even after Arthur tugs his boots back on and goes out into in the stairwell to flag down a page. Arthur waits in the hall after sending the page off on an errand, and keeps his arms folded over his chest to keep warm. The clatter of dishes and a few muttered words from Merlin sound from inside, and Arthur smiles and shakes his head. Never mind that now the whole kitchen staff will know that the prince has been to see the physician’s boy on his birthday. Never mind–it’s not important anymore, half the castle probably knows already.

“There,” Arthur says as he returns with a covered dish. “They’re not proper birthday sweets…”

There’s almond cake, and lemon-honey tarts, and some sugary, spicy, crumbly thing that Arthur’s pretty certain Merlin likes, but it’s not the sort of sweet dish he’d like to give Merlin.

Merlin peers under the lid, makes a soft ‘oh’ sort of sound, and then pulls Arthur down onto the bench next to him. His body fits in against Arthur’s good and tight, and he snuggles his head down on Arthur’s shoulder.

“You’re the idiot,” he says, “making a fuss when all I wanted was for you to stay tonight.”

“I’ll do that, too.” Arthur turns to press his face into Merlin’s hair, relishing the scent of rain and woodsmoke. “Happy birthday.”


End file.
